7th GSR
THE ROAD TO NEXT GENERATION NETWORKS (NGN):
CAN REGULATORS PROMOTE INVESTMENT
AND ACHIEVE OPEN ACCESS?

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - 5-7 February 2007

VENUE

Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai.
5-7 February 2007

WORKING LANGUAGES

The Symposium will be conducted in English, French, Spanish and Arabic

REGISTRATION

Delegate registration will open at the registration desk, Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre (DICEC) on Sunday, 4 February 2007 at 12 noon and Monday 5 February 2007 from 07h30 to 09h00. However, all participants are required to pre-register by sending the registration form to fax +41 22 730 6210 or by email to GSR07@itu.int.

The opening ceremony will take place on Monday 5 February at 09h00. Working hours on Tuesday and Wednesday will be as follows: 09h00 – 12h30 and 14h00 – 17h30

HOTEL BOOKING FORM

HOTEL RATES

HOTEL DESCRIPTION

Participants shall cover their own travel and accommodation expenses.

Dubai, a busy cosmopolitan city, caters to many International events all year around. Participants are therefore strongly recommended to book their accommodation as early as possible. The Dubai Congress Management (DCM), part of the Dubai World Trade Centre, which provides conference services, is managing all hotel requirements for this event. A number of rooms have been secured at a range of selected hotels for the symposium participants. 

Please note the deadline for hotel bookings is Wednesday 03^rd January 2007, after which, the rooms held for this event will be released. 

For additional information please email to gsrdubai2007@dwtc.com or dcm@dwtc.com.

Return airport transportation between Dubai International Airport and the selected hotels in Dubai is arranged by the respective hotels. Please request for the same along with your flight details at the time of your hotel booking.

Some hotels offer complimentary transfers whilst some charge a nominal fee. The transfer rates will be advised by the hotel along with the room confirmation. However, there are plenty of local taxis available from the airport, and rates to most hotels featured will not exceed AED 70 (US$ 20) from Dubai Airport

A valid passport is obligatory. Participants who need an entry visa should contact, well in advance, the embassy or the consulate representing the United Arab Emirates in their country. The TRA in collaboration with the local authorities will give all necessary assistance to participants of the GSR07 in obtaining a visa within the rules and procedures applied in the United Arab Emirates

Visa on Arrival: The following Nationalities do not require visa to enter Dubai and can obtain the entry stamp upon arrival at Dubai International Airport:  GCC residents, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vatican.

For all other citizens, a visa must be obtained prior to arrival in UAE. This can be obtained through the UAE embassy or the consulate representation of the United Arab Emirates, in their respective country. Alternatively, once you have booked your hotel accommodation through DCM, the hotel will send you a visa application form and confirmation of the application processing fees. Please email to gsrdubai2007@dwtc.com or dcm@dwtc.com for hotel rates and visa assistance. 

To obtain a visa you will need to provide the following documents: a scanned copy of the passport, a visa form duly completed and signed and a scanned copy of the front and back of a valid credit card. Your passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond the intended stay.

The visa information is current and is subject to change without prior notice. For up-to-date information on visa requirements, please visit the UAE Department of Naturalization and Residency website on www.dnrd.gov.ae/dnrd/VisitVisaInformationEng.html

The visa rates currently applicable are between AED 180 (US$50) to AED 340 (US$94) depending on the processing time (Normal process or Urgent process). The visa rates will be communicated by the hotel along with the confirmation. Please note that the visa fees are non-refundable. Please allow for 7 to 10 working days for a visa to be issued, keeping in mind that the weekend in the UAE falls on Friday- Saturday.

Information On-Line: http://www.government.ae/gov/en/visitors/uae/visas.jsp

The telephone network operated by the national telecommunication organization ETISALAT is superb: local calls are free and direct dialing is available to 150 countries.

The international dial code for UAE is +971. Discountes rates for international direct calls apply from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. and all day on Fridays and public holidays. There is a complete list of rates at the back of each telephone directory. You do not need to use the emirate access code when dialing an internal number in that emirate. In other words to ring a number in Dubai from Abu Dhabi you must use the 04 prefix. If you are dialing a number in Abu Dhabi from another location in that emirate you will not need to use a prefix.

Yellow page directories are available for each emirate (see also www.emirates.net.ae). These can be purchased at ETISALAT offices.

Pay phones, both card and coin operated, are located throughout the UAE. Phone cards for local use (Dh30 or Dh45) are usually available from ETISALAT offices, supermarkets, pharmacies etc. Coin operated phones take Dh1 and 50 fils. UAE

Domestic supply is 220 volts. Sockets suitable for three-pin 13 amp plugs of British standard design are the norm, however it is a good idea to bring an adaptor with you just in case. Adaptors can be purchased in local supermarkets. Appliances purchased in the UAE will generally have two-pin plugs attached. For more information please visit: http://kropla.com/electric2.htm

The official currency of the UAE is the Arab Emirates Dirham (AED or Dhs). Each Dirham is divided into 100 fils and is held constant against the US Dollar at an average of 3.67. All banks operate from 8.00am to 1.00pm, Saturday through Wednesday and 8.00am to 12.00pm on Thursdays. Currency exchange houses are open until late in the evening. All international credit and debit cards are widely accepted. Currency Converter

A medical service will be available in all selected Hotels as well as a doctor onsite at the DICEC during the GSR07.

Pharmacies: Most medicines are readily available at pharmacies. Each emirate has at least one pharmacy open 24 hours a day. Check in local newspapers for information. In some emirates a 24-hour municipality emergency number (Abu Dhabi 02 777 929; Dubai 04 2232323) lists the locations of open chemists.

If your organization wishes to sponsor a coffee break, lunch, or cocktail reception, kindly contact us at GSR07@itu.int.

The UAE enjoys extremely pleasant weather during its winter months, from October to May. The rest of the year, temperatures are in the low to mid-40º range. Lightweight summer clothing can be worn for most of the year but temperatures can drop quite sharply at night during the winter months of November to March. For weather forecasts, please visit: http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/41194.html